The present invention relates generally to containers for storing bulk quantities of paint and a method of making these containers.
Paint for use in bulk quantities, such as with an automobile assembly plant, is usually stored in bulk containers. These containers store large quantities of the paint and thus are quite heavy requiring transportation with the use of a forklift. A filled container weighs about 5000 pounds. The prior art containers are usually thin metal-walled structures, and stresses are created therein when lifted by the forklifts that often crack the containers. In addition, the prior art containers are difficult to clean and require regular maintenance.
One example of a prior art container is shown in FIG. 1. The bulk Paint container 20 consists of a thin-walled metal body with an outer wall 22 defining a paint receiving space 24. The walls are stainless steel and 3/16 inches thick. An upper port 26 is formed in the roof or top 27 of the container and provides access into the inner space 24 of the container. In some prior containers, the port was in the bottom wall. A drain valve 28 is formed in a single bottom wall 29 of the container and drains the paint from the container. The drain valve 28 is placed between two of the legs 30, and the drain valve 28 extends downwardly below the bottom wall 29 of the bulk paint container. A valve guard 31 is placed to protect the drain valve 28. Upper support portions 32 are mounted on the upper portion 27 of the container.
Another prior art container is shown in FIG. 2. The prior art container 34 shown in FIG. 2 is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except a new bottom 36 has been welded at 38 to the wall 22 of the thin-walled body. The weld joint was not ground down in this Prior art container. Frequently in the prior art, the bottom 29 would crack, often at the joint with the leg 30, and would need to be replaced. The prior art container 34 required cutting away the bottom of the thin-walled container 22 and welding a new bottom, such as shown at 36, to the remaining portion of the container.
These two prior art paint containers were deficient in several areas. First of all, with the drain valve 28 being disposed between two of the legs and extending downwardly below the bottom wall 29, a forklift could only approach the containers from two directions. The forklift could go between the two legs 30 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; however, the forklift could not come in from the other direction, that is, between the leg 30 and another set of legs 30 not illustrated but which would be disposed in a plane further into the paper. Since the drain valve 28 and valve guard 31 were mounted between these legs and below the floor or bottom wall 29, a forklift could not go between the legs in that direction; otherwise, it could break off the drain valve 28. In fact, in the prior art, the valve guard 31 is often bent and must be replaced. Due to this feature, a forklift would have to be maneuvered around until it was aligned with the bulk containers in the proper direction. At a common painting facility, it is necessary to have 8-10 colors available, each in a separate container. The ability to store the bulk paint containers of the rior art was limited, since they would have to be stored leaving access between the legs 30 in a direction that would not cause a forklift to bump into the drain valve 28.
The prior art drain valve 28 was threaded into the bottom wall 29 and was unscrewed to allow draining. The wall threads in the wall would wear out, and it is necessary to cut out a section of the bottom and weld in a new wall section and thread.
In addition, the prior art bulk paint containers were difficult to empty and clean. As shown in the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottoms 29 of both containers were flat and parallel. This caused puddles of paint to remain upon the floor or bottom wall 29 when the containers were emptied. Usually, 3-10 percent of the paint remains in the bottom; this paint is wasted. These containers were difficult to clean, and the paint was difficult to remove. The bulk paint containers of the prior art would have to be shipped to a distant location for cleaning by a person entering into the container through the top opening 26 and scrubbing down the walls of the container. The rough weld areas are very difficult to clean and require scrubbing with a brush to remove the paint. This also created problems because after cleaning by this method was done, the cleaning fluid would often remain in puddles on the bottom of the container, causing more problems. The stainless steel walls were porous and often absorbed some of the cleaning fluid or water. After a period of time, for example a half-hour after the cleaning had been done, the fluid would leak back out of the porous stainless steel walls and would again puddle on the bottom 29 of the prior art bulk containers.
Another problem with the bulk paint containers of the prior art is the thin-walled bottom would buckle when lifted by the forklifts. The prior art bulk paint containers could be seen to visibly buckle when lifted, and the resulting stresses from this buckling would create many of the cracks associated with the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to create a bulk paint container that may be lifted by a forklift in any one of the four possible directions.
It is further an object of the present invention to create a bulk paint container that can be easily drained and if necessary cleaned.
It is further an object of the present invention to create a bulk paint container with weld joints that will provide adequate seals, thus preventing leakage of any paint.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a method of assembling these members.